The Timesplitters franchise continues to be cursed, as Embracer has closed down Free Radical after originally promising fans a new game. Now that the studio’s cancelation has been made official, art for the nixed shooter has been shared around, showing fans what could have been.
On the Free Radical fandom page, concept art for the now-canceled 2021 shooter has surfaced, showing what various characters, areas, and enemies would have looked like. Based on what we’ve seen, the canceled shooter would have gone for a cartoony aesthetic to make each period feel in sync with the other.
It’s clear that a lot of work was being put into this new Timesplitters game, so it’s a shame to see all of that hard work go to nothing. Hopefully, a studio like id Software or Nightdive Studios gets to take a stab at the franchise, because this shooter deserves a second chance.
Embracer made headlines by purchasing a ton of studios and IPs out of nowhere, with many wondering if it would all pan out. Unfortunately, despite now owning IPs like Tomb Raider and Legacy of Kain, Embracer had to do some cost-cutting. It was acknowledged that Free Radical was a likely victim and that ended up coming true, which is just sad.
“It’s with a heavy heart that we must announce yet another difficult decision,” the company said to VGC. “Today, we have to confirm the official closure of Free Radical Design and say goodbye to many remarkable, talented, and hard-working people. We are beyond grateful for their incredible contributions to PLAION and wish them the best of luck and success on their professional journey from here on out.”
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Fans who grew up during the PS2, Xbox, and Gamecube era enjoyed Timesplitters for having good gameplay and varied environments. Three solid shooters were made for this era but a fourth was canceled and it didn’t take long before the series eventually died. Embracer buying the franchise had many hoping for a reboot or new game, but that obviously won’t happen now.
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